The United States Department of Labor is a federal executive department established in 1913 and headed by the Secretary of Labor. The Department's mission is to promote workers's general welfare and... more +

The United States Department of Labor is a federal executive department established in 1913 and headed by the Secretary of Labor. The Department's mission is to promote workers's general welfare and improve working conditions. less -

As part of Health Care Reform, employers and insurers are required to provide group health plan participants with a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (“SBC”) describing the important features of the group health plan option(s)...more

On January 23, 2015, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) filed a notice of appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (District Court) challenging two rulings in the case of Home Care...more

Last week, HHS, along with the Department of Labor and the Treasury, provided long overdue guidance regarding the third category of supplemental “excepted benefits” as defined by Section 2791 of the Public Health Services...more

In a very welcome development for health insurance issuers and employers who sponsor self-funded group health plans, the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and HHS have issued joint new proposed regulations that will streamline...more

On December 30, 2014, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury (collectively, “Departments”) issued a proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) regarding the summary of benefits and coverage (“SBC”) for use...more

Benefits provided through an employee assistance program (“EAP”) may be considered group health plan coverage, which would subject the EAP to the health care reform requirements mandated by HIPAA and the Health Care Reform...more

On December 30, the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services published a joint notice of proposed rulemaking modifying the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) final regulations issued in 2012. In...more

The Departments of Labor, the Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) have recently published final regulations related to when limited scope dental and vision benefits and employee assistance programs...more

The U.S. Departments of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services recently issued guidance clearly stating that employers may not, without incurring penalties, reimburse employees who...more

State Voters Pass Paid Sick Leave, Wage Increases -
Why it matters: The polls have closed and the votes are in: The midterm elections will have a significant impact on employers across the country as voters in multiple...more

In clear and unambiguous terms, the U.S. Departments of Labor (“DOL”) and Health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) (the “Agencies”) drove a stake into the heart of two suspect health insurance...more

The ACA was signed into law in March of 2010 with the goals of increasing the quality and affordability of health insurance, lowering the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reducing the...more

On October 1, 2014, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury issued final regulations that address the treatment of dental, vision and employee assistance programs (EAP) as "Excepted Benefits" under...more

As we have been discussing, the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requires all health plans to cover preventive health services for women, including all Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)-approved contraceptives, at no cost (i.e....more

Congress is in recess and therefore much of the action surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is at the agency level. However, Congressman Darrel Issa (R-CA) did subpoena the U.S. Department of Treasury for their records...more

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published guidance in Notice 2013-54 (the “Notice”) on the application of certain market reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act to Health Reimbursement Accounts (“HRAs”),...more

In response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Inc., the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Labor (DOL) published proposed rules on August 22, 2014, expanding the...more

Two federal appeals courts issued contradictory rulings on the validity of subsidies for the purchase of health insurance under the federal marketplace established pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On July 22, a...more

In May 2014, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Treasury issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Part XIX, addressing, among other subjects, the following:
The newly revised DOL model...more